Burns Discusses Scrimmage 2 and the Offense

Mark Murphy

08/17/2008

Comments from Auburn quarterback Kodi Burns are featured.

Auburn, Ala.--Quarterback Kodi Burns says he received plenty of encouragement on Sunday from Tony Franklin, Auburn's quarterback coach and offensive coordinator, following AU's second major preseason scrimmage.

The sophomore and the other quarterbacks met with Franklin to review video of the Saturday's scrimmage. So what did Franklin tell Burns?

"He said that all of the quarterbacks did good," Burns says. "He said I made some great reads in the scrimmage and I led my team down there for a couple of touchdowns."

Burns is locked in a tight competition for the number one QB spot with junior Chris Todd. Neither Tommy Tuberville, Auburn's head coach, nor Franklin have said when they will pick their number one guy and there is a good chance both QBs will see action.

Burns says he has no idea of who will be number one or when he will find out as the Tigers prepare for their August 30th home opener vs. Louisiana-Monroe, a team that defeated an SEC opponent on a trip to Alabama last, taking a victory over Nick Saban's Crimson Tide. "I just leave that up to the coaches and worry about making myself better and the team better," he says on who will start for the Tigers.

Giving his assessment on where the Tigers are offensively as they begin their first full season running Franklin's system, Burns says, "I think overall on the offense we need to improve on the tempo. Since we have been through such a long and hard two-a-days, it is kind of showing in everybody's fatigue. Since we are done with these two-a-days and will go back to a regular practice schedule, I think we will pick it up and get a lot faster."

The Tigers will get the day off on Monday, their first non-practice day after 16 consecutive days of either one or two practices. They will practice again on Tuesday morning. Burns says that having tired legs and arms could have led to some less than stellar plays in the scrimmage that included dropped passes and passes that were thrown off target.

One player who showed no signs of slowing down in the scrimmage was freshman wide receiver Philip Pierre-Louis, who drew praise from head coach Tommy Tuberville. Burns says he likes watching the small, quick player from Fort Lauderdale.

Philip Pierre-Louis

"He's amazing," Burns says. "All you can do is get the ball in his hands and let him go to work. You never know what he is going to do. It can be a one-yard pass and he can turn it into 88 real quick so he is one of those guys you try to find ways to get him the ball."

Burns knows what to do with the football under his arm, too. He has been effective as a runner throughout preseason drills. He had several good runs in both scrimmages even though at times he is ruled as "tackled" by officials on touch by defenders when he could gain more yardage.

"It is frustrating, but that is just part of it," he says. "Guys would touch me with one hand and they would call me down, but in the real world I would gain at least 10 more yards. I really don't worry about that. I think that helps me work on other things in the scrimmage."